1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method that is capable of employing up at least three classes of acoustic stimulation for marine turtles based on original behavioral and electrophysiological study of marine turtles. Three modes of delivery can be provided, for example, which include acoustic projection and amplitude modulation on either low frequency (kHz) or high frequency (MHz) ultrasonic carriers. Additionally, two more forms of multisensory stimulation can be provided, including vibrational tactile and visual alerting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Turtles evolved over 200 million years ago and have survived two great extinctions, including the reign of dinosaurs, only to fall victim to the perils of modern human life. Marine turtles are in particular jeopardy due to fishing activities and human activity on and around nesting and feeding beaches and shallow waters. Current alarms to warn turtles of possible danger are generally ineffective.
For example, there exist various apparatuses and method for detecting, herding or alerting different types of aquatic life. U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,249, issued to Joseph D. Richard, discloses a low frequency, directional, ultrasonic fish movement detector. Richard""s system multiplies (doubles) the frequency of the signal to improve audibility.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,220, issued to Mats A. Olsson, discloses an infrasound generator that includes a series of insulated tubes driven by a boiler to create infra-sound. The tubes are attached by a bellows to mechanically insulate the resonator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,276, issued to Janusz J. Kowalewski et al., discloses an acoustic fish behavior control device that is a watertight enclosure filled with gas, with at least one surface that can be made to resonate at its resonant frequency.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,339, issued to Gabriel S. F. Fuentes et al., discloses a sonic fishing lure with an enclosed battery, electric circuit, and sonic transducer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,468, issued to John Menezes, discloses a method and apparatus for controlling aquatic population in defined areas. Menezes system provides control by introducing a stimulus (sound, light, particular waves, magnetism) and observing the response. The response, and conditions, are saved in a database to be referenced and updated as needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,005, issued to Paul H. Loeffelman, discloses an underwater acoustic animal guidance system. This system determines optimum guidance sounds, and reproduces them. Aquatic animals are captured and their sounds recorded, with the recorded sounds analyzed. A primary sound spectrum is varied in accordance with the analyzed spectrum, in order to guide the aquatic animals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,457, issued to Thomas R. Mitchell et al., discloses an aquatic transducer system, which reproduces high-fidelity audio underwater, which detects and monitors underwater activity, and which illuminates an area to detect any movement in that area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,278, issued to Frank Szilagyi et al., discloses a fish caller the generates random high and low frequency noise, so as to simulate noises produced by feeding predatory fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,473, issued to Jorge M. Parra, discloses a series of transducers that convert bio-sound waves to electric signals, where those signals can be combined with active sonar to form an integrated marine acoustic system. This is combined with global positioning system (GPS) data and digitized maps to display exact locations of fish by species.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,682, issued to Nicole I. Zacceo, discloses a fishing net system with one or more underwater speakers attached, and a sound transmitting unit at a remote (on board) location.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,774, issued to Jorge M. Parra, discloses a method and apparatus for separating dolphin from tuna, and which is based on the primordial fear of dolphins to killer whales. Killer whale sounds are recorded and manipulated to produced synthesized, feeding killer whale sounds (including infrasonic sounds). These sounds are then broadcast underwater in the vicinity of schools or tuna or dolphins, thereby purportedly scaring the dolphins away.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,006, issued to Renato F. Schettino, discloses a device for magnetically separating tuna from dolphins before setting a seine net. Conductors are placed in a water column in a fashion to round up, concentrate and move schools of fish (tuna), while directing undesirable species (dolphins) away from the harvested fish. Artificial magnetic fields are generated by the conductors to perform this task.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,968, issued to Lars Ostlie, discloses an infra-acoustic/electric fish fence, which is a barrier for fish that is based on low frequency vibrations and synchronously modulated electric fields. Vertical columns are submerged, with trasducers and electric conductors provided on the columns.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,759, issued to Laura A. Gerstein et al., discloses a method of alerting marine mammals and other mammals underwater of the danger of approaching motor vessels. The method provides for projecting of a highly diretional pulsed acoustic signal with an underwater frequency between 3 and 26 kHz. Sound pressure level is tied to the vessel speed. The projection is provided in front of the motor vessel, and also around dangerous structures, thereby purportedly alerting marine mammals to the danger.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,322, issued to Michael T. Miller, discloses a barracuda-repelling sound generation device, which generates and transmits sounds and light irritating to barracudas, to purportedly drive them away.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,799, issued to George E. Hecker et al., discloses an underwater deterrent system which deters selected species from an underwater deterrence zone. This system pulses water in the opposite direction of the flow of a water source, to purportedly deter fish from intakes of municipal water sources.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,876, issued to Robert K. Jeffers, discloses an acoustic deterrent system and method for repelling marine mammals from a region of water. High frequency (7-10 kHz) acoustic signals starting at a low level are gradually or incrementally increased to a level beyond the pain threshold.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,801, issued to David N. Saunders, discloses an underwater pinger acoustic resonance chamber, which is designed to maximize acoustic output from a transducer into the surrounding water. Such a device purportedly alerts marine creatures to the existence of a structure located in the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,684,755, issued to David N. Saunders, discloses a position-dependent switch to automatically detect deployment. The device is designed to detect up (stowed configuration, attachment ring is up) and down (deployed configuration, attachment ring is down), by using a mercury switch or a ball-type switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,086, issued to Jonathan Truebe, discloses an apparatus for fish deterrence, which generates a low frequency sound by oscillating a plate attached to a pneumatic piston mounted on a stationary sure. The device is tunable by adjustment of inlet pressure, back pressure, and size, shape and mass of the plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,591, issued to James I. Oschman et al., discloses a method and apparatus a device that will stun tuna by creating underwater sounds of a selected frequency range to purportedly have a maximum impact on tuna and a minimum impact on dolphins. While each of the above-mentioned devices and methods may be effective to some degree in detecting or alerting aquatic animals, such devices and method are not particularly effective with respect to marine turtles, which are a protected species (endangered or threatened) under U.S. law.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a turtle alerting apparatus and method which is effective in alerting turtles to a potential danger, such as a moving vessel or a power plant water intake.
The above-mentioned object and other advantages may be accomplished by a turtle alerting system, which includes an acoustic signal generator for generating at least one of a first acoustic signal of less than 200 Hz, a second acoustic signal of between 200 to 900 Hz, and a third acoustic signal of between 900 Hz and 15 kHz. The turtle alerting system also includes an output device for outputting the at least one of the first, second and third acoustic signals. At least one of the first, second and third acoustic signals affect an auditory system of a turtle in order to alert the turtle and cause movement of the turtle.
The turtle alerting system can further include a frequency multiplier for multiplying the at least one of the first, second and third acoustic signals to an ultrasonic frequency range so as to create at least one of a first, second and third ultrasonic signal. The turtle alerting system can still further include an ultrasonic output device for outputting the at least one of the first, second and third ultrasonic signals. At least one of the first, second and third acoustic signals and the at least one of the first, second and third ultrasonic signals affect an auditory system of a turtle in order to alert the turtle and cause movement of the turtle.
The above-mentioned object and other advantages may also be accomplished by a turtle alerting system, which includes an acoustic signal generator for generating at least one of a first acoustic signal of less tan 200 Hz, a second acoustic signal of between 200 to 900 Hz, and a third acoustic signal of between 900 Hz, and 15 kHz. The turtle alerting system also includes an acoustic output device for outputting the at least one of the first, second and third acoustic signals. The turtle alerting system further includes a frequency multiplier for multiplying the at least one of the first, second and third acoustic signals to a particular frequency range so as to create at least one of a first, second and third processed signal. The turtle alerting system still further includes an output device for outputting the at least one of the first, second and third processed signals. At least one of the first, second and third acoustic signals and the at least one of the first, second and third processed signals affect an auditory system of a turtle in order to alert the turtle and cause movement of the turtle.
The above-mentioned object and other advantages may also be accomplished by turtle alerting methods, which include generating at least one of a first acoustic signal of less than 200 Hz, a second acoustic signal of between 200 to 900 Hz, and a third acoustic signal of between 900 Hz, and 15 kHz. The method also includes outputting the at least one of the first, second and third acoustic signals. At least one of the first, second and third acoustic signals affect an auditory system of a turtle in order to alert the turtle and cause movement of the turtle.
The methods may also include providing an ultrasonic signal as a carrier for the first, second and third acoustic signals, as well as providing a light source to be outputted with any of the ultrasonic signal or acoustic signals.